Cherrill Dawn DeFrance Cobb, age 85, was born with her twin sister Carrell, in Rushville, NE on June 20, 1939, to Don and Vi DeFrance.
She lived on a ranch southeast of Gordon with her parents, twin sister Carrell and older sister Wanda. During their school years, Cherrill and her 2 sisters lived with their mother, Vi in Gordon, where they attended elementary and high school. Cherrill was involved in many activities, including band, chorus, annual staff (where she designed a lot of the artwork), one-act plays, girls’ glee club and student council to name a few. She was in FFA and was also very involved in Jobs Daughters. She graduated from high school in 1957 and went to Colorado Women’s College in Denver where she achieved an art major in 1959. After that she attended the Continental Airlines hostess course in Los Angeles, CA and completed her training in 1960. While waiting to hear about a position with the airlines, she returned home, where she was later engaged to Wayne Cobb, her high school sweetheart. They were married April 2, 1961, on Easter Sunday.
Cherrill and Wayne resided on the family ranch where they built their home in 1961. There they raised their 3 daughters Kori, Kim and Kendra.
Cherrill was passionate about art. She commissioned and sold many of her paintings. She displayed paintings in local businesses and had one displayed in the Governor’s mansion in Nebraska and several other states as well. She attended many art shows through the years and was a member of 2 art Societies.
Cherrill loved cooking and baking, painting, sewing, gardening, singing, family and friends. When she was younger, she was a member of the local Cherry County Extension Club. She was also very active in her church where she was an Elder, Deacon and Sunday school teacher. She helped with the youth group and VBS. She was a choir member for many years, and she made over 500 prayer quilts for the Prayer Quilt Ministry.
Cherrill loved her family and was very active and involved in their lives. Her first 5 Grandchildren spent the summers of their youth with her and Wayne on the ranch. She was very supportive of her children’s and grandkids’ activities and attended as many as possible.
She was blessed with 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 1 more on the way and 1 great-great grandchild.
Cherrill was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, her parents Don & Vi DeFrance, sister Wanda (Richard Hays) and twin sister Carrell (Peter S. Cook).
She’s survived by her children Kori (Tom Hutchison, Surprise, AZ), Kim Bostock (Gordon, NE), Kendra (Lucas Bear, Merriman, NE) her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchild and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial has been established for the First Presbyterian Church in Gordon. Donations may be sent to the Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, P.O. Box 366, Gordon, NE 69343.